1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for laser machining metal parts from a continuous strip.
2. Description of Related Art
Rotary shaver heads employ shaver cups which contact the user's skin and include slots which permit the hairs on the skin to pass through to be clipped by the cutters mounted within the cup. The mechanical forming and machining of rotary shaver heads is a labor intensive and costly process since the cups are first drawn by conventional mechanical forming process into individual parts. The individual parts are then mounted in further machinery wherein the top portion of the cup which contacts the user's skin is lapped, machined or other wise reduced in thickness to provide a relatively thin section. Finally, the cup is then mounted in another machine where cutting or grinding blades cut the finely spaced, individual slots in the top cup portion. This multiple processing of small parts cannot easily be automated and is costly to perform.
While laser machining to form holes has been known, laser machining processes have generally been done on finished parts (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,413), with attendant handling difficulties. While laser drilling of holes has been performed in steel sheets (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,062), this has not generally been known in conjunction with mechanical formation of the sheet material.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved process and apparatus to produce rotary shaver heads and other metal parts.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus which eliminates individual handling of rotary shaver and other metal parts during process, where the process requires making fine holes in the parts.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved machining process and apparatus which provides flexibility in laser machining individual parts.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.